


Red in his Ledger

by Naril



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Based on a Tumblr Post, Bucky Barnes Feels, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Character Death Fix, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt/Comfort, Infinity Gauntlet, M/M, Not Character Death, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Feels, Super Soldier Serum, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-14 15:16:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18950704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naril/pseuds/Naril
Summary: Bucky Barnes slips in before Tony can fulfill his destiny and takes the gauntlet off Thanos. He won't let another Stark die on his watch. He has a debt to repay. So he puts the gauntlet on his vibranium hand and snaps his fingers.Steve is left with the aftermath and Tony is for once speechless.





	1. The Snap

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this post on Tumblr:  
> https://stevessoldat.tumblr.com/post/185095075192/so-i-had-a-thought-why-not-give-the-metal-hand-to 
> 
> I couldn't resist and wrote this all in one go. This is my first time writing Stucky but with the ending pissing me off so much (it doesn't make sense???) and this idea feeding my sadistic little brain, I could not help myself. Bonus for the fact that Tony survives because that pissed me off too. The minute I saw him with Morgan at peace I knew he was going to die and that is just cruel. 5 years of peace and happiness and then he can die.... wow, rude!

***

“Damn it, Barnes, what did you do?!” It was Tony’s voice that had Steve halt in the middle of the battlefield and it was Valkyrie who saved him from being disemboweled by an outrider. Then abruptly there was silence and the enemy turned to dust. They had won. 

In the distance, Tony was huddling over a figure crumbled on the ground, frantic. Sam landed next to him, hands scrambling to help. Bruce was already coming over too. 

Tony’s eyes met his over their backs. “Cap.” He called but Steve was already moving, hammer forgotten as he dropped it and the broken shield from senseless fingers, a sense of dread tying up his insides. 

Tony looked torn, getting fully to his feet to face him. “Cap, I’m sorry.” He reached out for him, but Steve dodged the touch. “He pulled it right off of me. I couldn’t-“ 

“Buck.” Steve’s voice cracked. 

Under Sam’s hands, a battered former Wintersoldier was choking and wheezing on each laboured breath. His pale eyes, though glazed showed recognition as they found his. “Stevie.” He mouthed, though only someone with enhanced hearing would be able to hear. 

“Bucky, what did you do?” He dropped to his knees by his side, reaching out but not knowing where to touch to not hurt him more. His whole left side was smouldering, the rest of him bruised and bloody.

A pained grin answered him and the scrape of metal against the ragged ground, as Bucky fruitlessly tried to lift what was left of his vibranium arm and the gauntlet attached to it. It had melted into one glob of grotesque steaming sludge. 

He must have slipped it off Thanos while he had been occupied with Stark somehow and done what he had seen the purple son of a bitch do just before he had vanished in Wakanda. 

“S-safe?” He asked, coughing up a glob of blood and spine contorting with a new wave of pain before falling limp, still meeting his eyes and he could see the fear and hope there as Bucky seemed to soak in the sight of him. 

Steve gulped, finally finding the courage to cup his cheek as he nodded. “Yea, we’re all good.” He croaked, voice giving out because Bucky looked so pale and there were blistering burns creeping up his neck and Bruce had said… 

“I thought you told _me_ not to do anything stupid?” He could feel the tears misting his vision but he would not allow himself to cry, not when Bucky was looking at him with those raw eyes and he might…

“Took all t-the stupid wi’ me.” He was still smiling even through bloody teeth, nuzzling into Steve’s palm and while he was visibly struggling to keep breathing, brushed a bloodied kiss against his rough skin. His eyes were drooping and Sam was calling his name frantically but Steve could barely hear him himself, not with the blood rushing in his ears. 

“Barnes, you stupid, stupid idiot!” Tony was there again, kneeling right by Steve’s shoulder, grey in the face, accusation in his dark eyes. “I had him!” He barked. “I had him!” 

Bucky’s eyes fluttered open, plainly pulling himself back from wherever he had started to drift off to. “Know you did, Stark.” He garbled out, human hand creeping weakly up to pat the Iron Man suit on the thigh plate. 

“Why did you do that? Damn it, why? It was meant to be me! No one else! Never someone else!” Tony looked ready to drag the dying soldier up by the collar for a second, only to deflate at his next words. 

“‘m sorry. S-so sorry… least… I could do.” 

Tony stared, frozen. Then it seemed to register and the gloves retracted from his armour, leaving his hands bare. He grasped the hand still limply resting on his thigh and squeezed. “No, Barnes. You’re okay. I… I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m so sorry and I should have said this years ago.” 

There was something that passed between them and then Bucky’s head lolled to the side a bit, only for him to fight it, blink slowly, and gulp in another breath. “Watch ‘im for me?” He mumbled. 

Tony bit his lip, tears shining but he nodded, the hand not clutching Bucky’s going to Steve’s shoulder. “Least I can do.” 

Bucky twitched another smile and Steve was still frozen, he could not move even when fading grey eyes found his again. “No.” He found himself saying. 

“’s the end o-of the line, p-pal.” He could tell Bucky was having a hard time forming the words, using every bit of determination to press them out. 

Steve shook his head and he was really crying now. “Not without you.” He bent closer, pressing his forehead to Bucky’s. “Not without you!” 

“S-Steve…” Bucky heaved in another rattling breath. “I-“ 

“White Wolf! Let me through!” A loud commanding voice broke the moment and then Shuri stood there, eyes wide but assessing, pushing Sam aside a little to run the scanner in her kimoyo beads over Bucky’s broken frame. “Don’t you dare, white boy!” She hissed at him and lightly slapped him when he clearly started to drift off again, dimming eyes still on Steve’s like it was the last thing he wanted to see. 

“Strange get me a portal to my lab!” She yelled, getting back up and giving out orders as Steve could not bear to tear his gaze away from Bucky’s. He stroked his bearded cheek and sat with him, trying to tether him to this world and praying that it would be enough. Tony remained where he was as well, his presence a quiet comfort. 

***


	2. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Thank you so much for the comments and kudos. This is really only a coda in my mind but I couldn't let it hang in the air like that, so I wrapped up some things.

*** 

“The serum saved him.” Shuri explained to them later. 

“He’s not gonna, you know…” Bruce gestured vaguely at himself with a sheepish look on his face. His left hand was still in a sling, not even Wakandan tech enough to fix the deep tissue damage the gauntlet had caused. 

Shuri being Shuri laughed and that in itself should really assure them all that Bucky would be okay. “No, he will not be a green giant any time soon.” 

She turned to Steve, who barely managed to meet her gaze through puffy red eyes. Tony stood a little behind the chair he was slumped in, hand again resting on his shoulder while Pepper with Morgan in her arms, flanked him on his other side. 

“The reason his transformation was not as… obvious as yours, was because Zola’s serum was constructed differently. He had not accounted for the vita rays at all, instead he tried to work with what created the Red Skull. It's imperfect but it seems it was enough to protect him from radiation anyway, even if it messed him up much more than Bruce. He will heal, with time.” 

“What about his arm?” Steve rasped. 

“Toast.” She admitted. “But his wounds are healing and once that is complete, if he wants, we can fit him with a new one. I shall leave it up to him.” 

He nodded, dazed, because he could not believe that he had not lost him after all. “Can I-“ 

“You can see him but he isn’t awake.” Her face fell a little. “We had to sedate him. The pain would be too much even for super-soldiers like the both of you. We’ll bring him out of it when his vitals have improved. Sam Wilson is with him right now.” 

Steve nodded again, still feeling like his mind was not quite catching on. Sam had accompanied Shuri and for lack of other personnel assisted her and Dr Strange. He had insisted that his training as a Pararescue qualified him plenty and to just tell him what they needed because he was not going to sit around on his ass. He was a good man and an even better friend. 

“C’mon Cap.” Tony’s voice spoke up, stopped him from spiralling. “Steve? Let’s check on your boy.” 

***

They had put up a token protest but no one really expected him to move from his position in the chair right next to the bed. Sam had tried to explain some things but soon instead told him to find him if he needed him and stumbled off to a bed. It had been a long day for all of them. 

When he had found himself alone, Steve had pulled up as close to the bed as he could and hesitated only a little before gently taking Bucky’s remaining hand in between both of his. 

He had been bandaged up and hooked up to all sorts of wires and other tech to monitor him while he healed. Shuri had said something about the irradiated tissue already recovering but all that mattered was that after five years and all this, he had not lost him after all. 

If Natasha had been here, she would have refused to leave him alone. He missed her and her comfort now more than ever. Now that he allowed himself to stop and feel everything that had happened, he found he could not contain the tears. There had been no time for grief earlier.

Before he knew it, he was sobbing, brow pressed to Bucky’s limp hand and soaking the bedding underneath with snot and tears. 

Only somehow that must have reached him even in this state because the fingers around his twitched, tightened and there was the tiniest of moans. 

“Bucky? Hey, you’re alright. You’re okay. Easy, buddy.” He shot up, a little helplessly reaching for him before stopping himself only for a moment of hesitation. Shaking it off, he cupped his cheek much like he had on the battlefield, thumb stroking in what he hoped would be a soothing motion. 

“Steve? H-hurts.” 

Before he could respond, the door opened behind him and Shuri with a bunch of nurses and doctors in tow came in. They must have been alerted to the change in his vitals. 

“He’s burning through this much faster than expected. We’ll need to keep adjusting the dosage.” She explained to Steve while the team started messing with the IV-lines. 

When they moved to check Bucky over, he flinched away, a protesting whine coming from his throat and if Steve had not moved quickly, holding him, he would have ripped out the needles feeding him fluids. Steve winced when he accidentally touched the bandages covered burns but instead leant in urgently when Bucky moaned again, face scrunched in pain.

“I know. I know. They’re gonna help you, okay? They’ll put you back under for a bit so you can heal up properly, okay?” 

“N-no. Steve…” His hand groped for him blindly and he caught it, wary of the needle taped down on it’s back, lest he hurt himself. 

“I’m here. I’ve got you. Let them do their thing, huh?” He brushed back some of his tangled hair, hoping to somehow distract him enough from the multitude of hands on him. He would have hated it himself. Poking and prodding by strangers was something neither of them would ever be good with again. 

Glassy grey eyes slipped open just barely enough for him to glimpse the colour and the hand in his tightened its grip. “Stevie, please… hurts.” 

“I’m sorry.” It was all Steve could manage, trapped by the vulnerable expression in his disoriented eyes as he tried to look around, find an escape from the pain, the hands. His breathing was panicky, shallow and the doctors were muttering something about his heart-rate. 

“I… Buck, look at me.” He used his free hand to carefully make him turn his head more towards him and away from the room full of people around them. He searched his clouded gaze for a sign that he was fully with him, conscious enough to hear him. “Hey? I’m here. I love you. I’ve got you.” 

Bucky blinked at him, lids heavy. It took a moment longer, but he took a breath, almost a sigh of relief, even if there were still obvious lines of pain around his eyes. Steve bent down enough so they were nose to nose and tried his best to smile, even if his eyes still burnt from earlier. 

“L-love you too, Stevie.” Bucky breathed and when his eyes slipped shut again, the sedatives pulling him back under, Steve pressed a kiss to his temple, tears once again slipping from his eyes. 

***  
Waking up was a strange sensation. Especially because he felt well rested. That was rare even after all this time living in Wakanda. 

Also new was that instead of a gaggle of kids, or Steve in all his morning-person glory when he was visiting, there was a billionare standing by his bedside. Bucky frowned. 

“Hello to you too, Nirvana.” 

“Stark?” He tried to pull himself up a little only to wince in pain. Stark had taken a step, arms awkwardly outstretched as if to help before he caught himself and dropped them, sticking them in his jeans pockets. 

“Better stay put for a bit. By the way it’s probably ’Tony’ at this point, don’t you think? And don’t worry, your boo is just passed out over there.” He nodded over to a chair in the corner. Slumped on it and seemingly completely oblivious to the world was Steve, quietly snoring. He looked exhausted and by the fact that he had not woken up from their voices yet, Bucky was pretty sure he had not been sleeping for a few days.

“Shuri tells me if you hadn’t taken over, I’d have died trying to use the stones.” Tony continued. “I mean, I pretty much knew that beforehand but I thought it should be worth mentioning because you might not have known…” 

“I saw the Hulk’s arm and put two and two together from what Strange had told us.” Bucky said, taking stock while he was at it, noting how his whole left side was throbbing with a dull pain. 

He chanced a look but all he could see were bandages. His new arm was gone too. He wondered if he had lost what remained of his shoulder but it did not look like it, hard to tell though it was with the way they had wrapped him tight. 

“Smart man.” Fidgeting, Stark came closer to sit on the edge of the bed. “I wanna say this again, because I don’t know how awake you were at the time but, I really am sorry, Barnes. And I, well, I forgive you, even though I shouldn’t have blamed you anyway, okay? I’m not gonna explain myself or make excuses and I don't wanna hear a word from your end, I just wanna leave it there if that’s all the same to you.” 

Bucky nodded, confusion plain to see in his weary eyes. 

“I mean it.” Tony awkwardly patted his good shoulder and got up again. “You two should take a break. I’ve got this really great tropical island somewhere that hasn’t been used in a while. It’s got a villa, pool, personal staff, the whole lot. Let me know when you’re up and ready enough to catch a plane and it’s yours for a while.” 

“Thank... you?” Bucky tried, not seeming to follow that sudden change in the conversation. 

“Anytime, tinman.” Tony waved on his way out, the door slipping shut behind him. 

***

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo.... I tried, I really tried but I couldn't bring myself to kill off Bucky. Nope, not happening. I always do Happy Endings. I put my darlings through a lot but they get out of it. 
> 
> I obviously dedicate this story to stevessoldat.tumblr.com but I am not active on tumblr so if someone knows how to let them know? Hopefully I didn't ruin their idea.


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